Mechanical power transmission



1 3.457.806 MECHNlCAL POWER TRANSMISSION' Richard H. Weiland, Seattle, Wash., assgnor to The Boei-ng C ompany, Seattle, Wash., a corporation of v Delaware Bled Dec. 7, 19156. Ser. Xo. 599.960 lnt. CL F16h37f0o'; Bc 3/38 This is a mechanical power Uansmiion. herein tions of pow-:z inputs, each'of which contributes a veloc 'Untedfsrates 'Patent I by any singie one or any combination of the power sources can operate the transmission at full torque output.

Athere is a planetary system comprislnga sun geatf, planevtary vgears mounted in a pianetary carrier, and a surrounding ring gear meshing with the planetary gears.

- There is a single power output connected to the planetary' carrier, Aand there are three separate power inputsone .Oi

which is connected to the sun gear and the other two o f 'i which are connected to 'the ring gear.

' a planetary carrier, a plurality of planet gears m'ounted to said carrier, and a ring. gear engaging the planet gears` There is a single power output from the planetary carrier, while there are three power inputs: one for the sun gear, and two for the ring gear. with all three power inputs functioning` the Output rotates at full speed and' full torque. With any combination of two of the three power inputs functioning, the output rotates at two-thirds speed but at f ull torque. while any one power input functioning by itself will rotate the output at oriethird but still at full torque'.

The apparatus of the present invention was created to 'transmit power to move the wings of a'varia'ole-sweep wing aircraft (i.e., that type of aircraft in which the wings are, swung to a rearwardly extending position for s'upery sonic ight and are swung forward to' a morelaterally extending position for. subsonic tiightL'Each 0f the three separate power inputs of the transmission is connected to a respective one 'of three diterent power systernsonI the aircraft, so that only the highly unlikely event of failure' of all three power systems would make it not possible to move the wings. The failure (or deliberate nonuse) 0f one or two ot' the power systems only reduces the speed of movementof the wings by onelthird or two-thirdsre- .spectively. but the force transmitted to move theta-ings isV not diminished. f

While the above considerations are believed t0 be cs- Apecially significant in theprcsent invention; especially ing the're'lative sizes of certain operating parts of thc apparatus, the relative magnitude of the velocity com-- poncnts contributed by the three power inputslcan be Ancillary to the: above obiect is .thatfof providing 'a highly reliable lower transmission for use in conjunction with a system having a plurality of power sources,- where ltis ye: arno-ther object to 'provide Aa transmission so arranged that by selectively operating various combinaity 'component a number of' of a magnitude d'ering from the other,

number of pow-er inputs, can be achieved. A

These and caber objects and features of the invention 1 will be' more readily understood and appreciated from shown in the .accompanying drawings, in which:`

.In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, i

erally designatedZZ, is s'ho'wni'to' be mounted 'to the b'acl;

through the transmission unit 22, with one end of the shaft 24 connecting to an actuator 26 for the left variable-- FIGUR; use pian View' showing the transmission f4 the present invention installed in a variable-sweep, wing aircraft, and

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view ol'` said transmission.

In FGUREI there is shown a'portion of a variablesweep wing-airplane, having a'fuselage' 10 and a pair of wings, the left one of which is shown at 1.2-, each of said wings having' a stationary forward portion 14 and a varivable-sweep rear portion 16. Extending transversely of the fuselage 10 is a yoke 18, to which each of the variablesweep wing portions 16 is mounted by means of a respective main pivot 20, The rearwardly extending supersonic position of the variable-sweep .wing portion 1 6 is illustrated in full lines in FIGURE l, while the subsonic laterally extending. position of the wings is iilustrated in' .fi

broken lines. -The power transmission of the presentiuvention, genside of the yoke 18. A single drive shaft 24 vextends '-'sweep wing portion 16, 'and' the other end vo f the shaft I 24 connecting to asimilar .actuator (not shown) for the right wing of the aircraft. This actuator 26 is o r may bey of conventional design,'and as shown herein. is^a screw.

jack type actuator. Thus, the actuator 26 comprises a base portion 2 8 pvotall'y connected tothe main 'yoke I8, a

made to be dill'ercnt,.s0 that by properly selecting the'A j achieved.

ln view of the foregoing. it is a general object of the present invention to provide :t mechanical pov-er transmission wherein there is a power output and atleast three power inputs, each o! the latter otwhich can func- 'tion individually or in comhinntionwith one or more of the other power inputs to imparta given velocifv com; A ponent to the power output. i

1 lt is a further ob `ce t toprovide 'such a transmission. 'l which can beso arranged that any one of saidpower inpuls oper-.ning individually can deliver full torque to' the 0utpuL`,

'which is pos-ered hy respective hydraulic lines'40, 42

. screw member 30 connected-wand extending outwardly 3 from the base member 28, and a nut member 32 mounted r for. travel along the screw member 30 and pivotally con' nected to the variable-sweep portion 1.6. Rotation of the main drive shaft 24 acts through the'basc vmember 28 of each actuator 26 to rotate each screw member 30 thereof and thus swing the two wing portions 16 either inwardlyor outwardly. i

Mounted to the housing 33 of the-transmission 'unit 22 are three hydraulic motors 34, 36 and v38, 'each of and 14. For highest reliability.` each of these lines 40.

.42 and 44 would .beconnected to a lrespective separate power subsystem of the airplane.l The working com-.

.portents of the transmission unit 22.are illustrated in FIGURE 2. For clarity of illustration, the housing 33 5 of th'e transmission unit 22 is not illustrated in FIGURE 2. it being understood that the components illustrated in FIGURE 2 are suitably encased and mounted within the In describing this transmission unt'22, the longitudinal i axis 'ofthe unit 22 will be considered as'coincident with the axis o( the main drive shaft 24 of the unit 22; also.

- the terms Timmer" and outer will denote proximity to this longit'iinzl axis'. and the term front" will denote a'locmon. 'cio-er to the hereinafter described' planetary unit of the transmission 2?..'while' the .'erm rear" will refer to a location further from theplaxetar'y unit,

As iniicnzed previously; there are three separate power-5 ferent output velocities, greater than the numerical designations.

50, 'and for 4ease of descriptiongthese will be given like Each'of the input units 46. 48 and 50 comprises a first drive gear 52 having an interioriy splined portion 54 to inputs for this transmission runit 22, and these are given respective' designations 46, 48 and 50. Certain components are common to ail-:hre: 'input units 46 through 10S does not rotate about its axis andthe ring'gear mem. ber 104 rotatesat the same speed as the two bevelgears' i 112 and 114. Likewise, tbe sun gear 98, being driven receive in driving relationship an output shaft (not- -shown) of its respective' hydraulic motor .14. 36 or 38.

4.Each such drite gear S2 meshes with :i lower gear 56.

which through a reverse locking clutch 58 rotates 'a .1 .-relatecl-worrn gear member 60. Each drive gear S2 also actsthrough a related intermediate gear 62 to rotate an :upper'gear 64. which through 'an upper reverse locking clutch 66 drives upper worm gearl member 68. Each reverse 'locking clutch v58 or 66. as its name implies.

from being transmitted from the worm-gear 60 and '68 to the drive gear 52). Each xt of upper and lower vtornt gears 60 and 468 engages a respective one of the th'rce main input gears, designated 70, 72 and' 71` respectively. Each of the three main input gears 70. 72 and -74 is secured to a respective one of three input shafts, desigfnated 76, 78.` and 80, respectively. These shafts 76. 78

and 80 each have a hollow cylindrical configuration and are arranged concentrically one around the other, with the innermost shim 76 being mounted around the drive shaft 24 by means of front and rear journal bearing: 32 ""and 84. In lille manner, the shaft 78 is mounted about rotate together (icl, in the same' direction and at the same rotational speed), so `thatlhebevel pinion 'gear by the shaft 76,- is also rotating at the same speed and all three input.units 46. 48 and ovfunctioning) the entire output assembly` 94.' the threev input shafts 76. V

78 and 80. and the main dn've shaft 26' all rotate together.' 'and .full torque and full rotational velocity is imparted to the actuators 26 to move the wings 12 of the airplane either forwardly or rearwardly', this depending upon theA direction in which-the shaft 24 isdriven.

shaft 76 by bearings 86 and S8. and the outermost input v shaft 80 is'mouhtedV around the shaft 78 b y bearings -90' and 92.

and a ring gear lmember 104 meshing with and surround ing the planetary gears 100. This planetary system 96 is disposed around and concentric .with the longitudinal axsf the main drive shaft 24.

The ring gear member 104 has a rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 106, which serves as a mounting for a pinionbevel gear member 108. This gear 108 is mounted If any one of the three hydraulic motors 34, 36 and t 38 is not operating (either by choice of the operator or vbecause of some malfunction of the power systemdelivering fluid to such motor), its related input shaft" '76, 78 or 80 is locked' in a stationary position by the reverse locking clutches 58 and 66. Let us now consider the various situations in which one or more of the hydraulic motors 34, 36 and 3'8`are not operating.

First, in the situation where the hydraulic motor 34 iS. "t not operating and the input u nit 46 is holding the shaft 76 stationary, the sun gear 98 will be locked in placer. f However, the two input shafts 78 and 80 will rotate and 'will thus rotate the ring gear member 104 at full rota` tional velocity. 1n the particular embodiment shown herein. cach ofthe planetary' gears 100 has a diameteri one-half that of the sun gearl 98. and thus with 'the sunA gear. 108 stationary.' the planetary carrier 102 will be inside of the ring .gear member 104 by means of `a pin 110 in a manner that the gear 108 isrotatable about'an Thci'forward end of the' outermost input shaft 480 is iixedly secured to the rear bevel gear 112; the forward end of the vintermediate input shaft 7 8 extends beyond that of the shaft 80 and is xedly connected to the formediatc input shaft78 and is txedlyconnectcd to the aforementioned sun gear 98. The dri\e shaft 24 extends beyond the forward end of the .ir:nermost input shaft 76 and. is xedly connected to thc planetary carrier 102 i 3 .which thus functions as the` driven or output member of the output assembly 94..'

Under usual operating conditions, th three hydraulic motors 34. 36 :ind 38 each drixe a respective one cf thcthrcc input units 46. 48 and 50. which in turn rotntc Atheirrespective input shafts 76. 78 and 80. ln the particular embodiment illustrated herein. the three main -input nears "0. 72 and 74. are the samediamcter. and t with thc'thce input unitsw. 4S and K0-operating at f' the' samespeed. the three 'iep'.:t shafts 76.73 and 80 will be driven a'. 'the same rotational speed and tn the .same direction Thus. the tuo .bevel gears -112 and 114 will causedto rotate at two-thirds the rotational velocity or' the ring gear 104. Thus, while the velocity of the-carrier.

102 isrcduccd, the torque delivered to the -carricr 102, and thus to the output shaft 26. is not diminished.

Secondly,` assume 'that in addition to the shaft 76 ref maining stationary, the shaft 78 is alsolocked in place by reason of its respective hydraulic motor 36`and input lunit 48 beingin a'nonoperating condition-'ln this' circumstance, the forward bevel gear 114 will be held stas tionary, while the rear bevel gcai 112 will rotate at full rotational velocity. Die effect is'that the pinion bevel gear t 108 will rotate about its'axis and will carry the ring gear z 104 Atxt half the rotational velocity of the bcvcl gear 112. 1f

This will,- in.turn, reduce the rotational velocity of the carrier to one-third of that of the bevel gear'11'2. butl full torque will still be delivered tol the carrier 102 and ward bevel gear 114; and the forward end of the inncr- '-rnost input shaft 76 extends beyond that of the tnle'r- O 98. :md the carrier-102 will be rotating nt two-thirds t'nethus to the output shaft 24.^In lille manner. if the bevel 'gear 112 remains stationary and the' forward bevel gear.

1,14 rotates. the carrier 102 will rotate at one-third speed but will deliver full torque.l

Third. assume that the two-shafts 78 and 8? are locked still being delivered to this carrier 102.

rotational velocity of the sun ucar 98, but fulltorque is '1 Fourth. assume tintin-addition to the sun gear'98. rotating. one of the bevel gears 112 and 114 is rotating. whilc'thc other of the bevel gears 112 and V114 remains stntionary.jln this circumstance. the ring gear |04 is,

rotating at half the rotational velocity of thc' stm gear velocity of the sun gear 98. with fulltorque still b cing Adelivered to thc Currier 102.' ln` tht` particular embodiment shonnhcrein, the diam@ .l ter-uf the plantnry'gcirs 100 it half that if the sun pcm' 18 so that the wlity mampzinnt Conlrihuttdhy the sun I claim:

velocitycomponents can oe varied s) that more 'han I v` three resultant velocities can be imparted to the plamtary carrier 102,. For exampizaby making the sun gear 18 yet larger and the planetary gears 1Go-smaller, one velocity 'for the carrier 102 can be achievedby rotating' the sun 'gear 9 -8 and one oi the bevel gears 112 and 114, and yetv another velocity for Lic carrier 102 can be acbievcdby keepin@ the sun gear 98 stationary and rotating both 'bc-'cl gears 112 and ll-L Likewise. yet another velocity for the carrier 102 can be achieved by rotating the sun gear one direction and subtracting one or more of the velocity components contributed by the bevel gears 112` and 11i by rotating one or both of the gears 112" and 114 in a direction oppoie to that which the sun gear 9 8 is rotating.

Additional inputs can be accommodated by providing j another planetary system for each additional input. As an example, a fourth input could be. used by driving from the carrier 102 to ,the ring eearof an ladditional planetary.

` system.-The fourth input would drive the second planetary sun gear and the output shaft would be connected to the carrier of the second planetary system. The diameters oftheY sun and planetary gears are selected s uch thatany 'one of the inputs will develop the full output torque. The Y speed of'the output shaft is directly proportional to-the number of inputs being energized. 'Ihus, this system can be designed for any number of inputs.

1'. Apower transmission comprising: (a) aplanetary -system including:

` (1) a planetary carrier,

(2) planetary gear means carried by said-carrier,

(3 a ring gear engaging" said planetary gear means: and

means, v '(b) power output means operatively connected to said fcarrier, i. i

i (c)vring gear power input means including: I v

` (1)' rst gear means rotatably mounted to said ring gear,

(2) first and second power inputs to impart,`re Y spectively, lirst yand second rotational velocity# f components to said ring gear. each of said posteril inputs comprising a respective one of two ringdrive 'gears engaging said irst-gear means, each `ofwhich ringdrive gear is mounted for rotation about an axis' about which said ring gear' rotates, said two ring drive gears being disposed oppositely with respect to said first gear means, whereby with said ring drive gears rotat- *ing in the -same directions opposite rotational velocity components are imparted to said rsl .i Stood ma* by modifying this relationship of the diameter f ihcrlnmry' gears :ne and the san gea; 9s, um@

'30`v' (f) said two ring drive gearsengagjng opposite sides (4) a sun gear fengagingsaid planetary gear gear means. but -with the rotational velocity components imparted to said ring gear being in '(d) irreversible drive means operatively connected to each of said' two ring drive gears, whereby with only one of said two ring drive gears rotating, the other f of said ring drive gearsjis helds'tationary.'

2 -The apparatus as recitedv in claim 1, wherein there i y is other irreversible drive-means operatively connected to 5 t said sun gear, whereby rwith said third power input-not operating, said sun gear is held stationary.-

-3. A power transmission, comprising: 1D (a) a planetary-system including:

. .(1) a -planetarycarriezg' j (2) planetary gear means carried by s aid carrier, (Il)V a 'ring' gear engaging said planetary gear means ,fand' v 1 (4) a sun` gearfengaging said" planetary gear means,arid 'Y v(b)' power output means operatively connected to said lcarrier, i v"(c) ring gear power input means including: '(1) a first power input to imparta first rotational l .velocity component tosaid ring gear, and

' L V(2) a second powerinput to impart a second rota# tional velocity component to said ring gear, v (d) said rst and second power vinpu each compris-v ing a respective one of vtvvo ring drive gears which are mounted concentrically with respect to saidring gear, i

,(e) a pinion gear rotatably mounted to said ring 'gear -about an axis fixed with respect to said ring gean.

of said pinion gear, l(g) a third power input to rotate said sun gea whereby each of said first, second and third power inputs operate to contribute a respective rotational velocity component to s aidcarrier, and Y (hlthree'irreversible drives, each of which is operaf t tively connected to a respectivefone of said sun gear an'd said two ring drive gears.

"References Cited A'.

3,351,225` 12/1967. Grube v. Mr 75 x f 3,358,539 .-12/1967 .benoemen- Pont-:IGN PATENTS'- 856,308'- 1171952 Gennany.A

824,763 12/.1959' operarios@ `noNL'ei' 1.' s'rooxnvd Primary Examiner CPERRY, Assistant Examineri l 

